Our last stop of the Imperial Cities is the capital of Morocco, Rabat. Its names derives from the world Ribat (fortress) and recalls that is was impregnable base from the Spanish.
In addition, it was the place of welcome of the Muslims expelled from Spain four centuries later. Take note of these proposals that will make you discover one of the cities that, paradoxically, is not the most tourist in the country. But maybe that makes it even more interesting. Will you accompany us on the trip? Let’s GO!
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| credits : Pixabay |
The Kasbah des Oudayas, a Charming place
In this Top 5 on what to see in Rabat, the prize for the most beautiful place is taken by the Kasbah des Oudayas. It is a walled neighbourhood formed by numerous houses painted neatly in blue. Its interior houses one of the most interesting archaeological museums in the country, as well as one of traditional art. But what makes the Kasbah des Oudayas unique is its views of the sea, which provide a pleasant moment of relaxation in the visit.
Hassan Tower, a unique minaret
The Hassan Tower is the minaret of an unfinished mosque in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. This tower is one of the most representative symbols of the city, both for its height and for what it represents. In fact, the Hassan Tour is the minaret of what was to be the largest mosque in the world. The construction of the Hassan Tower began in 1196. But in 1199 the Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour, of the Almohad dynasty, died and the construction of the mosque was stopped, leaving the tower and some walls of the mosque to be degraded over time. Yacoub al-Mansour was a member of the Almohad dynasty, a Berber, in the times of the Muslim empire in West Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. The tower, according to tradition, was designed by an architect named Jabir years ago who used plans similar to those of Hassan's sister tower, La Giralda de Sevilla. De la Torre was modelled on the minaret of another of Jabir's designs, the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech. Later Renaissance Spaniards added a Western-style superior to the Giralda, which would convert it from a minaret to a bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville after the Reconquest.
The Hassan tower has a height of 44 meters and can be seen from different places in Rabat. With its original architecture of the minaret, it would reach a height of 86 meters.
Near the minaret, you can discover the remains of the unfinished mosque, with its walls in ruins and about 200 columns that were to hold the roof of the building. However, these columns were almost all destroyed during the 1755 earthquake.
The tower of Hassan is built with a red stone that gives its characteristic style to the palaces and religious buildings in Morocco. Inside it is not the staircase, but the typical ramps that allow the muezzin to reach the summit on horseback for the call to prayer. With its four facades carved in stone, each with a different decoration, the Hassan Tower is very similar to the minaret of the Koutoubia, Marrakech, or the Giralda of Seville in Spain.
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| credits : Pexels |
Mausoleum of Mohammed V: the current pantheon of the Alaouites
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is located opposite the Hassan Tower on the Rabat esplanade in Morocco. It contains the tombs of the Moroccan king and his two sons, King Hassan II and Prince Moulay Abdallah. The building is considered a masterpiece of the modern architecture of the Alaouite dynasty, with its white silhouette, covered with typical green tiles. It was built on the edge of the enclosure of the unfinished mosque opposite that of the tower and its construction was completed in 1971.
The Old Medina of Rabat
As in other large cities, the capital of Morocco has its own medina, where the daily beat of the Rabati life can be appreciated. Although not as large as others in the country, its walls are very well preserved, both the Andalusians and the Almohades. Inside there is the Jewish quarter and the souk where you can find everything, especially traditional crafts.
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| credits : Pixabay |
